Spring-motor



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

S. E. HUGHES.

SPRING MOTOR.

Patented Mar. l, 1887.

. Illini/1517i!!! wss@ 2 Sheetssheet 2.

(No Model.)

. S. E. HUGHES.

SPRING MOTOR.

No.` 358.668. 4Patented Mar. l, 1887.

Unrrnn Smarts Farrar @risica SMITH E. HUGHES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPRING- MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,668, dated March l, 1887.

Application filed March Q9, 1886. Serial No, 197,021.

To @ZZ whom, it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, SMITH E. HUGH Es, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain In provements in Spring-Motors, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of springmotors which are especially intended for streetcars and like vehicles, and in which the mo- Io mentum or forward movement of the car is exerted to wind up a spring, the force due to the expansion of which is employed to start the car.

My invention comprises certain details in I5 the construction of a device of this class, with the view of simplifying the same and facilitating its ready application to the frame-work of the car.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is 2o a longitudinal section of the bottom framework of a car, illustrating my improved springmotor and the mode of` applying it to said frame-work; Fig. 2, an inverted plan view of the mechanism; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section of the power-drum carried by one of the axles;

Fig. 4, a transverse section of the same on the line 1 2; Fig. 5, a longitudinal section of the winding clutch and drum on the other axle; Figs. 6 and 7, perspective views of the same 3o on a larger scale; Fig. S, a transverse section on the line 3 4, Fig. 5; Fig. 9, a perspective view of the clutch-operating rods forming part of the mechanism, Fig. 10, an enlarged section of part of one of the spring-tubes; Fig.

11, a transverse section, on an enlarged scale,

on the line 5 6, Fig. 2, Fig. 12, a detached view of mechanism for operating a retainingbar forming `part of the apparatus, and Fig. 13 a perspective view of a cam for acting on the pawls of the power-drum.

series of tubes, G, two of these tubes being shown in the present instance, although it (No model.)

should be understood that more than two tubes may be used, if desired. In each ofthe tubes is a series of coiled springs, b, each spring having` at each end a plug, d, and the end plugs ofadj oining springs bearing against each other, so that the series forms practically a single spring, so far as longitudinal compression and expansion is concerned, a number of short springs, with bearing-plugs, being, however, much more economical than a single spring of the desired length.

Each ofthe tubes G has on the inne`r side a slot, f, for theA reception of one of the arms of a cross-head, II, which bears upon the front ends of the foremost springs b, and is connected by a rope, band, or chain, g, toa drum, I, free to turn on the axle B, said drum carrying a series of pawls, h,wliich engage with the teeth of a ratchet-wheel, J, secured to said axle B, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the pawls 7L being so arranged that when the drum I is turned backward no movement is imparted to the ratchet-wheel J, but when turning forward the pawls engage with said ratchet and impart forward movement to the axle B. The drum I, therefore, I term the power-drum.77 On the other axle, D, ofthe car is a drum, K, to which is connected one end of arope, chain, or band, t, the other end of which is connected to the drum I, the connections being such that as the rope is wound upon the drum K it is unwound from the drum I, and vice versa. The drum K, I therefore term the windingdrum.77

On one of the faces of the drum K are teeth z', engaging with similar teeth, t', on a collar, L,which is firmly secured to said axle D, and said drum K is free to slide longitudinally on the axle under the influence of a lever, M, hung at j, to a bearing on the beam F, and comprising two arms, L It', the arm It being pivoted to a longitudinal rod, iti, on the arm 7c', so that while the arm 7s must partake of the movement ofthe lever on its pivot j the outer end of said arm k is free to move vertically independently of the arm k, so that the vertical movement of the axle D can have no straining effect upon the lever.

The arm c of the lever M is connected to a clutch-ring, p, adaptedto agroove in the hub of the drum K, said ring being made in two IOO parts hinged together, and provided with ears 11'19", which are caused to approach each other by the act-ion of a spring, g, acted upon by a nut on a bolt, q', passing through the ears, as shown in Fig. 8, so that any desired degree of friction may be imparted to the clutch-ring any movement of the drum K, calculated to slacken the rope t, being thereby prevented.

The arm k of the lever M is connected bya rod, m, to a lever, N, on the platform of the car, and is also provided with a rod, m', the rear end of which is hooked, as shown in Fig.9.

To an opening in the beam F is adapted a notched bar, P, the opposite ends of which are supported upon bell-crank levers, s, Fig. 12, hung to said beam, one of these levers being connected by a rod, s, to a lever, S, on the platform of the car.

When the car is ruiming forward, the drum K of the forward axle is so moved by the lever M that the toothed face of said drum is free from engagement with the toothed face of the collar L, and hence no movement is imparted to the drum by the axle; but when it is desired to stop the car and store the power for restarting the same, the lever N is operated by the attendant so as to move the lever M and throw the toothed face of the drum K into engagement with the teeth of the collar L, whereupon the forward movement ofthe axle D is imparted to said drum, and the rope, chain, or band t is wound thereon, the other end of said rope, chain, orband being unwound from the drum I of the axle B.V The rope or chain t is wound upon the drum I in a direction the reverse of that in which the rope, chain, or band gis wound; hence the unwinding of the said rope t from the drum I effects the winding up of the rope g thereupon, and the consequent drawing-rearward of the crosshead H and the compression of the springs in the tubes G.

Before starting the winding operation the lever S was operated so as to lower the notched bar P, and as the cross-head is drawn rearward the notched lower edge of said bar P engages with said cross-head and serves to re- Y tain the same in any position to which it may have been retracted prior to the throwing out of gear of the winding-drum K on the axle D. If the springs are fully compressed and the cross-head is drawn rearward toits full extent, said cross-head will engage with the 'hooked end of the rod m, and cause such an operation of the lever M as to effect, the automatic unclutching of the winding-drum K from the collar L of the axle D. When the springs are compressed, the strain of the same is borne by the notched bar P, both axles being free from such strain.

During the winding movement, the drum I travels in the direction of the arrow 1, Fig. 4; but when it is desired to start the car the lever S is operated so as to lift the notched bar P and free the cross-head H from the control of said bar, whereupon the expansion of the springs b tends to `move the cross-head forward and unwind the rope, chain, or band g from the drum I, thus causing the movement of the same in the direction of the arrow 2, which movement is imparted to the ratchet-wheel J and to the axle D, so as to cause the forward movement of the car.

It is frequently necessary to back the car; hence some provision must be afforded for throwing the pawls h out of gear with the ratchet-Wheel J, in order to permit such hacking. Itherefore recess one face of said ratchetwheel for the reception of a cam-ring, T, provided with suitable operating-pins w, projecting through suitable segmental slots in the web of the drum I, this ring being formed as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4, so that on moving the same backward it will simultaneously lift all of the pawls h free from engagement with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel; but on the forward movement of the ratchetwheel the ring will also be moved forward,

owing to its frictional contact with said wheel, thus permitting the pawls to again engage with the teeth.

In order to prevent injury to the tubes G in the event of the breaking of the winding-rope or other portion of the apparatus, said tubes have at the front ends elastic cushions w, against which the cross-head H will strike when it reaches the limit of its forward movement.

In the claims I have used the term rope to indicate the rope, chain, band, or other connection between the drums K and I, and between the latter and the cross-head H.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of the bottom framework of a car or other vehicle with spring-motor mechanism carried by a beam, F, secured to said frame-work, all substantially as specied.

2. A spring-motor consisting of a powerdrum on a shaft or axle, ar winding-rope having a cross-head, springs acting on said crosshead, and tubes containing said springs and slotted for the reception of the cross-head, all substantially as specified.

3.' The combination of the axle or shaft having a ratchet wheel, a power drum having pawls engaging with said wheel, and a camring,whereby said pawls canbe thrown out of engagement with the wheel, said cam-ring having a frictional connection with the ratchetwheel, all substantially as specied.

et. The combination of the axle or shaft, the power drum thereon, the tension rope, the springs and cross-head, and a notched bar engaging with said cross-head and serving to retain the same in the position to which it has been retracted, al1 substantially as specified.

5. The combination of the power-drum, the

tension-rope, the cross-head, and the springs for acting on the latter, with the notched retaining-bar P, the bell-crank levers supporting the same, and an operating-lever connected to one of' said supporting-levers, all substantially as specified.

6. The combination of the axle or shaft and IOO IIO

IIS

the Winding-drum thereon, forming part of a eluteh, with a lever for operating said clutchdrum, one arm of said lever being pivoted to the other arm, so as to be free to swing independently thereof, all substantially as specified.

7. The combination ofthe shaft or axle and its Wndingdrum forming part of a clutch7 an operating-lever therefor, a Clutch-ring, and means for compressing said ring so as to cause it to have a friotonal hold upon the hub of the drum, all substantially as specified.

8. The combination of the Winding-drum forming part of a clutch, the lever for operating said drum, the cross -head connected to said Winding-drum and acted upon by springs, and a hooked arm connected to the elutch-op the ends of the tubes, all substantially as speelfled.

In testimony whereof I have signed my nameto this specification in the presence of two sub` serbing witnesses.

y SMITH E. HUGHES. Vitnesses:

WILLIAM-D. CONNER, HARRY SMITH. 

